Democrats wage confirmation wars as Trump turns up pressure on Senate

Senate Democrats are returning to the confirmation wars of 2017 as they attempt to find their footing in a new Republican majority.

Democrats are dragging out the confirmation process for several of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees, even those with broad support.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously on Monday, but another bipartisan nominee, John Ratcliffe, was blocked from becoming CIA director the next day as Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) raised “serious concerns” about whether he would politicize the agency.

Democrats also threw up roadblocks on the Senate floor to Pete Hegseth, the Trump Pentagon nominee embroiled in a sexual misconduct scandal.